States with the most recruits in the latest 2026 Rivals300 rankings

The latest Rivals300 recruiting rankings for the 2026 class are out and, as one would expect, the most talent-rich (and population-dense) states are well-represented across the board.

Texas narrowly holds an edge over Florida for producing the most Rivals300 talent, with Georgia hot on their heals. California stands alone in fourth place, with Ohio edging out Alabama and North Carolina for the fifth spot.

With the rankings release, Rivals is breaking down where the top 300 prospects in the country this cycle hail from:

Texas – 38

The Lone Star State has led the charge when it comes to football talent for decades. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in particular has exploded in recent years, but don’t sleep on Houston or the studs from West Texas.

Surprisingly, Texas does not have a single five-star prospect in this Rivals300 update. Texas Tech offensive tackle Felix Ojo narrowly leads the way in the state over Oklahoma quarterback commit Bowe Bentley. Texas A&M running back commit KJ Edwards, receiver Davian Groce and Baylor edge rusher commit Jamarion Carlton rank close behind.

In total, Texas has 13 prospects that rank in the top 100 of the Rivals300.

Florida – 36

Not far behind Texas is Florida, where producing top football recruits is in the state’s blood. The state also gets boosted by Bradenton’s IMG Academy, which recruits players from around the country to play there. For the sake of these rankings, those players count toward their actual hometowns.

Texas quarterback commit Dia Bell rises up to No. 2 overall in today’s update and is one of two five-stars in the state, along with Georgia defensive line commit James Johnson.

Like Texas, Florida also boasts 13 of the top-100 in the latest rankings update.

Georgia – 33

The Peach State has replaced California in the recruiting hierarchy over the last several years. Georgia is regularly putting out as much talent — and that has been reflected in the NFL — as any other state save for Texas.

Four-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson is the top-ranked prospect in Georgia, edging out Alabama linebacker commit Xavier Griffin. Seven more players round out the top 100 to give the state nine total.

California – 24

It has seen a significant drop-off in recent years due to a number of factors, but California still remains near the top of the list due to its sheer population numbers. The Golden State only has one five-star prospect, Washington offensive tackle commit Kodie Greene, but he’s one of five Californians in the top 30 of the Rivals300.

Eleven of the top 100 prospects in the Rivals300 are from California.

Ohio – 16

While the big states get most of the acclaim, Ohio continues to quietly churn out prospects at a high level. Five-star Ohio State offensive tackle commit Sam Greer headlines the Buckeye State standouts in the Rivals300. Greer’s teammate at Archbishop Hoban, USC cornerback commit Elbert Hill checks in at No. 86 overall. Cincere Johnson (Ohio State), cornerback Victor Singleton (Texas A&M) and quarterback Matt Ponatoski (Kentucky) are the other three top-100 prospects in the rankings.

Other states with recruits in the Rivals300

14 – Alabama, North Carolina

10 – Louisiana, Mississippi

9 – Virginia

8 – Illinois, Pennsylvania, Tennessee

6 – Arizona, Maryland, Michigan

5 – Iowa, New Jersey, South Carolina, Utah

4 – Missouri

3 – Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota

2 – Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington D.C.

1 – Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Washington